Cosmic Ripples & Solar Storm Fronts

Since 2015 we have a new way of seeing our universe – by detecting ripples in space and time called gravitational waves. It is hard to overstate just how exciting and game changing this could be – a completely new set of channels through which we can observe the universe has opened up. Gravitational waves are predictions of Einstein’s theory of general relativity – the same theory that gives us warp drives and wormholes. So can gravitational wave signals give us a glimpse of alien activity in our galaxy? I will explain why they (probably) can’t.

The interplanetary space is not completely empty; it is filled with solar wind that continuously flows out from the Sun. Solar wind is a plasma made up of charged particles, mainly protons and electrons. The Earth has a magnetic field that forms a protective bubble, preventing these charged solar wind particles from directly hitting our planet. We use spacecraft observations to study the region of space where the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field first begins: the Earth's bow shock, which stands ahead of the Earth. At the bow shock, the solar wind is first slowed down before it can flow around our planet. However, within this slowed-down solar wind, fast flows are often observed ploughing through the surrounding plasma. In this presentation, we will discuss where and when these so-called high-speed jets form and how they can impact the Earth’s magnetic shield.